INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ELECTORAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH

MEXICO CITY, SEPTEMBER, 2013

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I. INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONTEXT.

From 1979 to 2012 more than 150 countries have transited through a process from authoritarian regimes toward electoral democratic systems.

Even when these processes have had a positive impact on more sustainable governance and an improvement on human rights respect; elections are at the core of the conflict. Whether the problem is the inner race context, popular dissatisfaction with the elected public officers’ performance or the mere suspicious of fraud will be factors to cause instability or even violence in the country.

Many countries face conflicts and violence related to the electoral processes and

the lack of legitimacy of the new elected public officials to government can

risk the democratic systems, especially in those countries in transition from a

dictatorial or centralized regime towards a democracy.

Just in 2010, 67 countries held more than 120 electoral processes1 (presidential races, two round races, legislative or parliamentary elections, local elections, etc). In 45 countries (67%) have been complains and conflicts related to the electoral process.

The Electoral Management Body plays a very important role at the core of

the conflict since it is the mediator between the pressures from the governmental

and political stakeholders involved in a tense environment that any race implies

by itself.

a. Challenges for democracies

These problems can be the result of the following reasons:

New democracies with weak experience in the organization and

development of democratic-electoral procedures.

Lack of trust to the EMBs from the civil and political stakeholders involved

in the electoral process –political parties, citizens, nongovernmental

organizations.

Introduction of new political and technological topics on the electoral

agenda –public and private financing, access to media, over sight, new

1 Electoral calendar , www.ifes.org

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technologies, etc., that demands specialization.

Presence of electoral fraud, or lack of transparency and fairness in the

competition.

Weak democratic institutions due to factors such as for the EMB’s new

created and composed of inexperienced officers on electoral matter, as

well as a lack of institutional memory for the planning and the organization

of the next electoral processes.

b. Necessities for strengthening the democratic institutions.

The electoral political system of each country is the result of the development

of its own history, culture, and social relations. Taking this fact into consideration,

it is important to acknowledge that models cannot be exported, they are just a

reference.

In this regard, international cooperation is very important to contribute to

achieve countries’ objectives consolidating the democratic regimes.

There are three main areas where international collaboration can be address:

Strengthening the democratic-electoral institutions by granting practical

training to its electoral officers on the technical handling of the political

problems.

Exchange of information and knowledge with countries’ EMB on best

practices on similar challenges.

Integrate and coordinate the international cooperation between

international organizations or institutions and the EMBs on joint training

programs. There are organizations and institutions that provide

consultancy services and advices in certain topics, but lack of real practice

and knowledge in the technical and political aspects involved in the

electoral administration which can be provided by the EMBs.

The professionalization of the electoral officers thru training creates institutional memory and knowledge of the best practices; provides tools for the design and implementation of new strategies; decreases technical problems; provides a better understanding of the diverse actors intervening in the electoral processes.

The aim of professionalization of electoral authorities through these

training programs is to have an impact on the EMB’s efficiency to optimize the

management of the electoral processes by some of the following achievements:

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Implementing new structural reforms (i.e. electoral registry, electoral

districting).

Introducing new electoral reforms.

Introducing some changes that can optimize officers functions (i.e. new

electoral material, technology)

Reducing problems or mistakes in the organization (electoral training,

voter’s education).

Also, professionalization will have indirect benefits for the institution such as:

Providing experience and knowledge to the electoral authorities will be

reflected in the institutional efficiency.

Enhancing the ethics and transparency’s democratic principles which are

important factors in the construction of trust and credibility for the

institution.

These programs are addressed to all political and governmental

stakeholders because at the core of the democratic governance is the

ability to dialogue and negotiate to achieve the shared goal for the

country’s progress and social development through stability and certainty.

II. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND

The Federal Electoral Institute has collaborated with the community of the

International Electoral System, through the professionalization and training of

electoral officers, providing new aptitudes (knowledge and skills) and new

attitudes (values and conducts) by means of different training programs to the

responsible of the organization and conduction of electoral processes.

The Federal Electoral Institute has promoted several means of

collaboration to encourage the interchange of experiences and the technical

electoral training. These activities have been focused through the specialization

and professionalization of electoral authorities in different categories.

III. General Information of the International Center for

Electoral Training and Research

In September 2010, IFE’s General Council and Executive Board unanimously

approved the budget to create the International Center for Electoral Training

and Research (CICIE, by its acronym in Spanish) as the result of an analysis

of this trajectory and the increase in interest and applications to participate in

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some programs, as well as the agreements signed with many international

institutions which will be eager to combine efforts to provide a winning-

winning project.

The International Center for Electoral Training and Research has been created by the Federal Electoral Institute in order to:

1) To provide information and programs on electoral matter that are being analyzed and are of common interest of IFE and the international EMBs counterparts or other stakeholders from the international electoral system.

2) To comply and fulfill the international cooperation commitments and applications from other EMBs or international organizations partners on electoral assistance.

3) To develop new programs and research mechanisms on electoral matter that will contribute to strength the EMBs and the democratic institutions.

The Center is a mechanism of the international horizontal cooperation which

provides a wide range of option for training and research on electoral matter

through electoral administration workshops, technical assistance and

professionalization seminars addressed to the electoral authorities, decision-

makers.

The main objective of the Center is to offer an articulated and integral

international cooperation for the needs and interests of professional training,

specialization and updating of those electoral authorities responsible for the

electoral administration. In this way, IFE is collaborating in the construction and

articulation of the world wide and regional network of organizations and

institutions specialized in electoral and democratic governance matter.

The two main characteristics the CICIE’s electoral training programs will provide:

Information and exchange of knowledge on best practices from experienced in field electoral officials that can be adapted to their own national context to implement electoral reforms or administrative changes.

Feasibility solution for specific problems faced by the EMB. The diverse

programs are methodologically designed from an integral perspective:

academical, technical and practical experience and applied knowledge by

the elaboration of a paper which, at the end of the program modality,

would be implemented.

The results expected by the professionalization of the electoral officers will

strengthen the EMB by acquiring experience, generating a solid memory and

ability to face the technical and political problems inherent to the electoral

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processes, and, as indirect achievement, the pacific transmission of power.

Direct Beneficiaries

Electoral Management Bodies (EMBs), especially those for countries in

democratic transitions or to enhance their efforts to consolidating the electoral

democratic institutions.

Indirect Beneficiaries

Civil society

Political parties

NGOs

Specific objectives:

1. Developing diverse modalities for electoral training programs yearly by

high professional and experienced international electoral practitioners,

address to:

EMBs’ electoral authorities for different ranks level.

Political and civilian stakeholders involved on the electoral matter.

2. Publication and dissemination of important information on political,

technical and technological issues regarding electoral issues.

Elaborating comparative studies and researches on the main

topics of the electoral agenda in specific regions: on electoral

systems, electoral reforms, and political-electoral processes.

Publication of papers or essays resulting the diverse activities

developed and that will contribute to grant different perspectives

and practical information on common topics of interest.

a) Who participates in CICIE?

Partnering with international organizations is very important due the wide

experience on democracy and electoral matter in field operations.

Partner’s participation can be developed in different ways:

Directly participating with international experts in some topics requested by

the EMB applicant during the workshop, specialization courses.

Financing the expenses of their international experts to participate in the

diverse programs programmed.

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Financing the expenses of the EMBs authorities to travel to Mexico City to

participate in the workshops, since there are countries that have few

opportunities to budget for this professionalization projects.

Promotion and dissemination of the International Center for Electoral Training

and Research’s programs and activities.

Partnering as the Directive Committee in charge of jointly designing the

methodology, developing the profile criteria for participants and speakers, as

well as for the evaluation of the EMB’s projects.

Financing the interpretation services needed during the courses.

The following map shows the currently geographical influence of the

agreements reached, by the CICIE

The actors that participate are:

The founding partners: IFE, TEPJF, UNDP-Mexico, SRE

Representantives of national sectors linked to political-electoral matter:

FEPADE, Executive power representatives, Legislative Power

Representative, Political Parties, Civil Society, Mass Media, and

Academics.

International organization and institutions: The Electoral Assitance

Division of the United Nations (EAD-UN), The International Institute of

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Democracy and Electoral Assistance, The Assistance and Electoral

Promotion Center of the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights

(IIDH/CAPEL), The Organization of American States (OAS), International

Fundation of Electoral Systems (IFES), Elections Canada(EC), Electoral

Authorities Association of Europe, (ACEEEO), Electoral Institute of

Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA).

A brief summary of some partners’ participation in the CICIE’s activities are

represented in the following diagram:

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b) Financing system of CICIE

The CICIE has a sharing-expenses program according with the following

criteria:

Founding partners (IFE, TEPJF, UNDP-Mexico) and in 2011 the Foreign

Affairs Ministry through the Mexican Agency of International Cooperation

for Development (Amexcid).

- Lodging and food of the electoral visitor delegation authorities.

- Local transportation

- Organization, logistic, and material of workshops, technical assistance

missions, courses, internships and seminars.

- National and international specialists (electoral authorities, academics,

political parties, mass media representatives)

- Simultaneous interpretation

Electoral visitor authority

- Airfare to Mexico city of each member of the delegation

Collaborator partner

- Topics alternatives and specialists

- Collaboration in the event´s organization

- Payment of fees for international experts (academics, electoral

authorities, political parties, mass media representatives)

According to the Amexcid’s International Cooperation Database, in 2012 the

CICIE has contributed with $1,634,059.96 only regarding the expenses related to

services and material and the participation of Mexican experts has been

estimated around the $50,000 USD.

Other partners’ financing the programs can be viewed in the following chart:

c) CICIE´s Themes

The diverse training mechanisms, such as workshops, international seminars, courses, internships and technical assistance missions, have been thought as an integral and multidiscipline perspective which considers in first instance the electoral cycle and the main topics may be divided into four general themes of the electoral administration:

Ethical- Institutional

Legal and jurisdictional

Political

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Technical-Technological

According with these themes, the following topics are considered:

Additionally, the CICIE has incorporated as an innovating element the development of Strategic Planning Workshop. The program of the Strategic Planning Workshop is based on 5 stages of the institutional consolidation:

1. Institutionalization Democratic Objectives: building-up institutional confidence, legality and legitimacy of electoral process. Topics: Representation systems, electoral legislation, electoral justice, electoral organization, electoral distraction, electoral officers training, civic education

2. Institutional strengthening

Democratic Objectives: inclusion, integration, representation Topics: Civil and electoral registry, electoral training, electoral justice, organization of the electoral process, civic education and voter participation

3. Electoral Process Cycle

Democratic Objectives: organization, equity and participation

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Topics: a) Pre-electoral Stage: Electoral roll accuracy, electoral calendar, register of

politic parties and candidatures, organizational training for the electoral officers, observers accreditation: nationals and international

b) Electoral Stage: voting site installation, voting, voting counting, preliminary results and official results.

c) Post-electoral Stage: Audits and Evaluation, electoral justice.

4. Institutional consolidation

Democratic Objectives: Equity and transparency

Topics: Public and private financing, mass media access, political parties

financial over sight; electoral justice; voting abroad

5. Specialization

Democratic Objectives: Efficiency and optimization

Topics: strategic planning, electronic voting, financing and accountability

through electronic means, electronic electoral register, registration of

political parties and candidates through internet.

CICIE has responded to the requests from the electoral authorities of 4 of the 5 continents: Africa America Asia Europe Total

2004 Haiti Iraq 2

2005 El Salvador

(2) Guatemala

3

2008 Bosnia &

Herzegovina 1

2009 Zambia South Africa

Guatemala Timor Leste

Lebanon Filipinas

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2010 Burundi

Botswana Benin

Argentina (2) Macedonia 6

2011

Ethiopia Botswana

Kenya

Venezuela Guatemala

Nepal

Timor Leste Afghanistan

Ukraine Georgia

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2012

Egipto Egipto, Libia y Túnez Nigeria Ethiopia

Costa Rica Perú

El Salvador Guatemala

Rumania Croatia

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2013 Nigeria

Ecuador (4)

Perú- Indonesia 8

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Colombia & Bolivia,

Haiti Guatemala

Total 13 20 8 6 47

IV. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

The International Center will be focusing to develop the following training

programs, each one of them will be referring not only different topics but also are

addressed to respond to different necessities and stakeholders.

1. International Workshops on Electoral Administration

a) Description

The Workshops are a methodological program designed according to the

specific needs pointed out by the EMB through an assessment questionnaire.

Here, decision makers’ responsible of organizing and administrating the

electoral process, will participate horizontally in an exchange of knowledge,

ideas and best practices with international and national experts by

practitioners and in field expertise that will share the political handling on

technical problems to specific challenges on electoral matter.

During the development of the workshop a session on Strategic Planning

is provided on the core topic requested in order to contribute to identify the

main problems faced and the possible solutions according to the exchange of

knowledge from previous sessions.

Even when an Electoral Administration Workshop can be scheduled at

any time and at any period of the electoral cycle, it is considered to be most

appropriate given the following scenarios:

Prior to Elections.

Anticipating an electoral reform.

Electoral authorities renewal, partially or totally.

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b) Methodology

The methodology procedure for the workshop applications consists in 5

stages:

1) Application letter of the electoral authority

2) Elaboration of the diagnostic based on a valuation questionnaire

3) Program elaboration

4) Workshop activities

5) Evaluation survey done by the participating electoral authority

The following chart shows the workshop’s application procedure.

STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4 STAGE 5

Response time Reception of the Selection of curricula Development of the workshop Reception of the questionnaire and preparation of the agenda on electoral administration evaluation questionnaire

and conclusions1 week 1 week 2 weeks 3 to 5 days 1 week

Application letter from a State or EMB

Diagnosis of the State s national

context and EMB s request (based on

the assessment questionnaire)

IFE receives application

PROCEDURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKSHOPS ON ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM

FOR ELECTORAL TRAINING AND RESEARCH

International and/or specialized

organizations

TEPJF, PNUD, IFE

Preparation of the workshop

program

EMB petitioner

International Program for

Electoral Training and Research

Electoral assistance

• Reception of the Evaluation

questionnaire• Conclusions

Development of the Workshop on

electoral administration

EMB petitioner Partners PICIE Organizers (UNDP, TEPJF, IFE)

IFE

Annual activity: Eight International Workshops per year which will attend

specific EMB’s needs.

Duration: 3 to 5 days.

Participants: Sending a letter from the EMB’s Chairman to IFE’s President

Councilor, stating their interest to participate in a Workshop, and specifying

the topics of their interest as well as the dates better fit to them.

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a) Results

From 2004 until 2013, has been developed 43 International Workshops for 35 different countries of Africa, America, Asia and Europe.

2004 2005 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

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2. THEMATIC, SPECILIZED AND REGIONAL COURSES ON ELECTORAL

ADMINISTRATION

a) Description

These courses are part of a specialized and of professionalized program. Two courses are conducted annually. Each is for a different region according with the necessity´s analysis At the beginning of each year produces a schedule specifying the dates of the seminar and specialization courses. In this same timeframe specified topics and regions who are targeted. The criteria of the participation in the specialized courses are:

Participant profile. To select the candidate who is directly involved with the central theme.

Strengthen the institution through critical analysis of the problem and feasible solutions, through the exchange of empirical experiences with their counterparts, leading to the correction, improvement and greater efficiency in the development of institutional processes.

b) Methodology

The methodology is divided in three stages: 1) developing a project for a

specific challenge faced by the institution; 2) two officers in charge of

implementing the project will participate in the specializing course to be

developed in Mexico City; 3) project implementation.

The course will be divided in two sessions: plenary sessions and

workshops. In the plenary sessions, the topic will be discussed by EMB officers,

international experts, practitioners, and academic staff. During the workshops, a

discussion among participant delegates will take place in order to analyze the

project to be implemented in their countries.

The final phase will require that the officers write the paper with the

proposal with the steps to on how to follow to be implemented solve the

problem originally stated in the paper.

In this way, this program will have a direct and immediate impact on the

EMB providing practical solutions.

The following chart shows the participation’s phases:

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CICIE Analysis

of interests by region and topic

Stage 1

Stage 2

CICIE• Sending call,

program and register

• Invitation to partners and specialists.

Stage 3

CICIE• Sending

invitation• Reception

of register and

selection of candidates.

PARTICIPANTSending register

and first documentation

Stage 4

CICIE• Sending

materials• Logistics

Planning

Stage 5

Attendance

PARTICIPANTSending final

Reports

Stage 6

1 Week

2 weeks

3 weeks

1 week

PARTICIPANT• Sending

itinerary

CICIEReception of final reports

2 weeks

c) Indicators

Annual activity: Two specialized courses on topics of shared interest by

certain countries within a region will be developed annually.

Duration: 5 days.

Participants:

8- 12 countries per region

8-15 middle and high rank EMB officers responsible of designing

and implementing specific projects on the topic analyzed.

3 international experts

5 national experts

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d) Results:

Date Course Participating Countries

October 3-7th, 2011

First Specialized Course of Financing, and Oversight of the

political parties resources for the Latin

American Electoral authorities.

15 electoral officers from 13 countries: Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, el Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Uruguay, Panamá, Paraguay, Perú y República Dominicana.

November, 21-25th,

2011

First Specialized Course of Electoral

Register for authorities of Africa and Haiti.

15 electoral officers from 11 countries: Botswana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Kenya, Mauricio, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia y Zimbabwe.

May 28st to June 1st,

2012

Specialized Course of Electoral Campaign Regulation for Latin America Authorities

18 electoral officers from 12 countries:

Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,

Panama, Paraguay, Perú and Uruguay.

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November 5th – 9th,

2012

Specialized Course on Political Parties’

Regime for Europe’s electoral officials

Participation of 7 electoral officials from 6 countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Lituania, Romania and Russia

May 27th-30th, 2013

Specialized Course on Voting out of the Country for Latin

America’s electoral officials

Participation of 20 electoral officials from 11 countries, incluiding Mexico:

Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.

December 2nd -6th, 2013

Specialized Course on Electoral Systems and Results Transmission

19 electoral officers of 14 countries: Egypt, El Salvador, Georgia, Kenya, Lithuania, Moldavia, Namibia, Nigeria, Rumania, Russia, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine and Zambia.

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3. INTERNSHIPS

a) Description

This specialization program bases on the times, interests and needs of the

Electoral Management Body applicant.

Internships have a bidirectional objective such the EMB applicant as the

Federal Electoral Institute.

The EMB applicant will have the opportunity to learn the activities,

documentation and working mechanisms on the specific area of work, in order

to contribute to the creation of the area, to the definition of functions or specific

programs of work.

The EMB applicant will conduct a final report on the internship, which will

highlight their experience and specific aspects that will be incorporated or

adapted to his institution. At the same time, the EMB applicant makes

comments or recommendations on the work and procedures of the IFE in order

to improve the work and items.

b) Methodology

The following chart shows the internship methodology:

c) Results

The CICIE has developed five internships in 2012 and two in 2013:

2012

January 23-27. Costa Rica on Oversight Political Parties’

Resources a

March 19-23. Peru on Civic Education Program’s in a multicultural

framework.

May 14-17. Nigeria. International Training and Cooperation

Programs.

2013

April 3rd – 5th- Ecuador on Electoral Organization

May 15th – 17th Ecuador on International Liaison and Programs

for Cooperation

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Sending application of EMB´S Head

Receiving Application

STAGE

1

STAGE

5

STAGE

4

STAGE

3

STAGE

2

CICIEEMB EXECUTIVE AREA

Participant register: 2-4

people

Sending Invitation

• Program Elaboration

• Working Paper Elaboration

• Program Elaboration

• Working Paper Elaboration

• Attendance• Working

Program Elaboration

Final Report Reception

• Assistance• Working

Program Elaboration

Sending Final Report

Sending Final Report

• Acceptance of the application.

• Programming dates and logistic

• Logistic Support

• Facilitator

CICIE offers: • Food• Lodging• Local Transportation* EMB´s applicant has to cover the costs of air transportation

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4. INTER-AMERICAN ELECTORAL TRAINING SEMINARS,

a) Description

Coordinated jointly with the Organization of American States (OAS) and

the Faculty of Latin-American Social Sciences (FLACSO). This activity

provides training to medium and high rank level officers from the 34

members of the OAS. The objective is to improve the organization and

management of specific areas of performance in the institutions.

In this way, the themes are selected according to the interest of the

electoral management bodies. Then, the participants are selected from

the proposed candidates of each institution by a technical committee.

The participant has to develop a project during the seminar, which will be

implemented in practice and to benefit the institutional performance.

b) Indicators

Duration: 5 days.

Participants:

c) Results

Through the six Seminars already developed, 195 electoral officers from the

Americas have received the technical training.

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2014 Activities programmed

professionalization programs

Calendar Candidates’ profile Characteristics

International Workshops

January, February, March, April, May, June, September,

November, December (10)

Countries that have submitted application: Ecuador, Egypt, Tunisia, Haiti, Moldova, Indonesia, and Peru

Aimed at high-level electoral authorities and decision-makers.

The agenda is designed according the EMB’s particular interests.

The workshop’s organization is shared between IFE, UNDP-Mexico and the Electoral Court.

The date is set according the best timing for the EMB and the calendar’s availability.

Specialization Courses

February, May and November (3)

Aimed at electoral officials directly involved in the topic

Addressed to electoral officials of the Caribbean

Addressed to Latin America’s electoral authorities on Electoral Results transmission.

Addressed to electoral authorities on Electoral Observation

International Seminar June (1)

Open to electoral functionaries, academics, NGO’s staff, political parties and citizens in general.

Discussion on topics of main interest for the electoral and democratic institutions.

Technology and Elections

2 days

VII Inter-American Seminar of Electoral

Training August 26th-30th

Electoral officials: mid and upper-rank level, responsible of the area of the main topic.

Organized both by IFE and OAS.

Topics to be decided.

The Seminar takes a whole week.

It could occur during the second week of September.

Forum of Latin American Democracy

8th - 10th October

Open invitation to electoral authorities, academics, NGO’s, political parties and citizens in general.

Organized by IFE, OAS, and International IDEA.

Main subject: Inclusion and non-discrimination